Star Wars Resistance – “The First Order Occupation”

Welcome to my latest review for Star Wars Resistance. It took me a few weeks to get into the show, but by the end of “The High Tower” I knew that I was in for the long haul and have decided to start writing about it. This post will be focusing on episode 15: “The First Order Occupation”

Plot Summary

Synara is trying to get off the Colossus but is unable to purchase passage on a shuttle as the First Order is locking down the station. At the marketplace, Kaz, Neeku, BB-8 and Tam are discussing the First Order presence. Kaz is not happy with them being there but Tam does not see the problem as they are the ones who saved Torra from the pirates. The group see the stormtroopers about to arrest a worker who can’t find his identification and Kaz intervenes. He refuses to give the troopers his details but Neeku, believing Kaz admires the First Order and is just nervous, tells them his name and where he works. Before Neeku can say anymore, the worker finds his identification and the group use the distraction to leave.

In the tower, Doza contacts Pyre and raises his concerns about the stormtroopers acting as if their authority supersedes his, reminding him that the Colossus is his platform. Pyre says that he respects Doza’s authority and that the troopers are “peacekeeping forces” there to keept he station secure. Doza tells him that the First Order are only there until the pirates are dealt with and Pyre responds that the security measures are there from the safety of his family and constituents and reiterates that Doza not forget he needs them.

“Perhaps Commander Pyre is correct, sir. The Colossus has never been safer than it is now.”

“But at what cost?”

At Yeager’s garage, Kaz wants to contact Poe but Yeager dissuades him as it is too risky for him to send a message as the First Order is tracking communications. Yeager convinces Kaz that he should wait for Poe to get in contact. A group of stormtroopers arrive to speak to Kaz as they are looking for a pirate spy on the Colossus. They state that Kaz was lurking near Doza Tower when Torra was abducting, which Kaz counters by saying he was the one who warned Doza. The officer also mentions that they are looking for Synara. The stormtroopers leave after hearing about a situation on Level 3, warning Kaz to remain at his station until notified otherwise.

Kaz arrives at the loading docks to see Synara, debating with BB-8 whether he should tell Synara that he knows she is a pirate spy. Kaz hides behind some crates and follows her to see what she is up to, eventually overhearing her contact Kragan to ask for help getting off the station. Kragan says that the pirates cannot get close to the Colossus but can arrange a pick-up if she can find a way off.

Kaz and BB-8 argue over whether they should help Synara and Kaz wins out. They sneak back to the loading docks as Synara is starting her night shift. Kaz tries to cryptically talk about the situation, but they have to hide as some stormtroopers arrive. Kaz has Synara hide in a container and uses a hoversled to sneak her to a cargo freighter. They get to the freighters but BB-8 sets off an alarm while trying to unlock the ship. Kaz tells Synara to hide in the cargo compartment while he and BB-8 distract the stormtroopers and lead them away. While fleeing, they encounter a dead end, but Synara has followed after them and takes out the troopers before they can catch him. The group return to the shuttles as they have just taken off. Needing to find a new way to get Synara off the station, the pair go to Neeku, who suggests using the underwater escape pods.

“Kax, I’m only gonna tell you once: stay out of this. Keep your head down until things cool off. Trust me”

“Of course! I wasn’t planning on doing anything, Yeager.”

On the way through the corridors, Synara is spotted by the stormtroopers, who begin to give chase. Neeku creates a distraction and leads the stormtroopers away, with BB-8 taking over the role of distraction as Neeku finds a dead end.

Making it down to the escape pods, Kaz and Synara find that there is only one left. Synara gets into the pod and thanks Kaz for his help, stating that being on the Colossus has opened her eyes. Synara escapes in the pod just before the stormtroopers arrive. Away from the Colossus, she is picked up by Kragan, who states that he did not expect her to make it off the station and says she is ready to come home.

Review

I hate to say it, but this episode actually left me quite disappointed. The general plot is one that I really like, but it was the way it was handled that left me feeling rather flat throughout the episode.

It felt a bit odd that after spending the majority of the season waiting to see Doza make a decision about the First Order’s offer, this episode seemed to imply that he has made the decision to allow the First Order presence off-screen between this episode and the last one, which was a bit of a let-down. I like the idea of Kaz trying to help Synara get off station as she has done enough to prove to him that despite her pirate affiliations, she is a good person – this is consistent with his character throughout the series, he has often looked at the positives in people rather than focus on the negatives. I like as well how Synara chooses to sacrifice her chance of escape to make sure Kaz is safe, proving that he made the right choice to help her.

Unfortunately, what let me down was the way characters acted throughout the episode. Kaz has really been maturing of late and while his awkwardness when lying still remained, his clumsiness returned to an insufferable degree, making multiple crates drop on his head, comical sneaking when not necessary, turning and walking into walls and his poor metaphor of food to describe Synara. I can begrudge him a few silly moments because A) this is a kids show and they want to have a laugh and B) it’s understandable that he may be nervous around Synara given that he likes her, but this could have easily been accomplished with just a couple of the jokes – namely the “sensitive goodbyes” comment and closing he escape pod hatch on his head.

“We’ll have you out of here in no time, Synara.”

“Kaz—”

“Shhh. No time for sensitive goodbyes. Just get as far away from here as you can.”

“Sensitive goodbyes? What are you talking about?”

“Oh. Uhh… Just get as far away from here as you can, Synara.”

Unfortunately, Kaz’s regression wasn’t the only issue as I found Neeku almost unbearable in this episode. His naivety led him to give the First Order far too much information on Kaz and you can’t help feel that he could easily mention Kaz’s links to Poe or the New Republic Navy in front of the wrong people. The “back of the hand” joke when asking Neeku for help was also played far too long and the over the top actions in leading the stormtroopers away from Kaz and Synara (which he continued all the way back to the garage at the end of the episode) were far too much for me. I feel that Yeager has not been given enough screen time this season and think that needing someone who knew the Colossus well would have been a great chance to include him further in the episode. Credit where it is due though, I did like the moment of Neeku mentally going through different options to escape and dismissing each as he went along.

I feel that the stormtroopers were also made to look goofier in this episode than they have up to this point. The First Order have generally looked a lot more adept than their Imperial predecessors, yet that did not feel the case in this episode and it made it harder to believe the stakes were high for Kaz and Synara as we see the troopers easily distracted by another person throughout the episode.

I do want to take a moment to credit the side story of Opeepit the janitor, who had his floor cleaner confiscated by the stormtroopers, which had a great payoff in the elevator scene with Kaz and Synara. With fun moments like this, it should allow for slightly more serious times in the main story.

“There’s the spy! Stop!”

“Wait, Synara is the pirate spy?!”

“We’ll explain everything later Neeku, I promise!”

I like how this episode introduced us to a new area on the Colossus in the form of the escape pod bay and I can’t help but feel that this will feature again later in the season. I also find it interesting that it was noted Synara was taking the last escape pod as I think this could lead to someone trying to escape the Colossus and being unable to or having to find another way due to there being no pods left.

As to what will happen going forward, the way that Tam was so positive about the First Order is surely not going to last long judging by the mid-season trailer, so I am very interested in what changes her view. I also think that Synara has been set up with her loyalties now more towards her friends on the Colossus rather than the pirates and I can see her having an important part to play before the season is over, either convincing the pirates to fight alongside the Colossus against he First Order or potentially leaving the pirates and taking advantage of being off the station to get help from the Resistance.

Moments in Canon

Kaz tried to get Synara on a shuttle to Takodana, where Maz Kanata’s castle is situated

Neeku mentions about the Empire’s poor treatment of non-humans

What did you think about the episode? Thanks for reading and May the Force be with you…